I saw tonight on more than one news outlet, where Obama called Palin a pig today.
He referred to lipstick on a pig is still a pig.

I thought he was going to change politics.
No more negative name calling.
He called her a PIG.
There are some names he came be called

I'm no Obama supporter, but he really didn't call her a pig. He was making the point that regardless of all the good things McCain and Palin say they will do, their policies will still be the same. Same idea with a pig, no matter how much lipstick you put on it, it's still a pig. Still, I agree with you that Obama plays just as dirty as all of the rest of them. He "talks" a good game, but the bottom line is, he's no better than the rest of them. Sad to say, that's the way the game is played, and if you want to win, you gotta play dirty.

You maybe right but it's curious that he would use those words.

I agree with G. Politics is a dirty game and to prevail, you must play as dirty as the game is.

I also agree that Obama did not call her a pig. Say what you will about him, but stupid he isn't.

Additionally, the "lipstick" line was Palin's. A lame one that better script writers wouldn't written for her.

And the "lipstick on a pig" phrase is an old and common saying that does not imply that a person is a pig, only that you can't make a lousy thing good no matter how you spin it.

When will this election get back to discussing issues and the PRESIDENTIAL candidates instead of the personal fictions of the newbie pol VP?

This had been an interesting distraction, but I think the narrative has about played out.

Today, I've heard at least a dozen people--about evenly split ideologically--say they are tired of the drama and want to get back to the presidential election.

Something tells me this particular chapter will be played way longer than advantageous to the GOP. It's been working so far, but lets see how the next act goes.

I agree with you. I don't think it was an accident that he used those words. I think it was an obvious hit at Palin's comment she made during her RNC speech. I think many women (and men) will be offended by that if they think that Obama is coming across as being nasty towards Palin. In fact, I believe one of the reasons why McCain's poll numbers are improving, and his crowds are growing (quite dramatically), is because of the hateful attacks against Palin and her family. I'm stunned at how far the Lame Stream Media has gone to try to discredit Palin. Too bad for the leftists, their hateful attacks are actually working in McCain's and Palin's favor. I hope they keep it up, because if they do, McCain and Palin are going to win this election.

It's an expression Obama has used before, long before Palin was the running mate.

Moreover, it's an expression McCain has used in the past.

And on what 'news outlets' did you hear this condensed down to Obama calling Palin a pig?

I posted on another thread before I saw this one. What I said was that I don't think Obama should have gone there.

Even if he has said it, before, this was not the time to even mention lipstick. It has a gender undertone and just is subject to inflaming people. He and his surrogates can explain, explain, explain to try to convince people that he wasn't calling Palin a pig but even if he is being sincere, when he is explaining his way out of a stupid comment, he isn't getting out his message and he comes across, at best, as making a foolish mistep. Again, no matter what he meant, no matter whether he has said it before, it was a foolish thing to say, at this time. In my opinion.

Personally, I think he did it on purpose. I heard the comment, I noticed that he was discussing change, but I also noticed that he paused for the crowd to get the joke - and they clearly knew that he was talking about Palin. Yeah, I'd think he was too smart to take a swipe at Palin too, but then I have to ask myself, if he is that smart, why would he make the comment, at all?

Obama simply can't take cheap shots without losing supporters since he based his campaign on running above it all. That puts him on a higher standard, by choice. A lot of people were willing to go with him even though he had little national experience and no executive experience, because experience, to them, was likely just more of the same old, same old. By coming in above it, they hoped he'd take them in another direction. I respect that. I am also drawn to that. By calling people pigs (and that is the implication), particularly using the word "lipstick" within a week of her famous line, was just stupid. That's just my two cents but I bet there are a lot of people who are offended.

McCain's bounce may be ending and the previously mentioned Palin burnout may be showing how limited a strategy she is.

While I'm never hopeful that the American Public is smart or informed or even possible of critical thinking related to any subject beyond shoes or football, I hold out a shred of hope that the discussion turns back to anything about the presidential candidates and away from Ms. Mooseburger.

The latest poll released --NBC/Wall Street Journal--shows Obama back on his way up--Obama +1. In the next few days we'll see what develops.

ECO, I don't think I agree with you. I disagree that this has anything to do with gender--after all, when did "pig" become gender specific? However, Palin's utility as a distraction may be waning so it may be time to find a new one.

I really hope we can talk about policy not "Obama is a mean man..." I don't like the distraction of the verified stories of McCain calling his wife a "Trollope" or a "c#nt" and I don't like the invented version of the same narrative about Obama. There's way too much important to discuss without this kind of crap.

Plus, as shallow as the electorate often is, I don't think there's much traction of this issue.

At the same time, the standard GOP strategy is to take whatever a candidate's strength is and attack it mercilessly.

If Obama's campaign takes that route, Palin doesn't have a lot besides gender as weak a qualification as it is.

Ok, I just read that Palin's people are trying to make this a story. The washington post mentioned McCain's use of the same phrase describing Hillary. So, if we follow the same line of rhetoric, that McCain called Hillary a Pig during the campaign.

Oddly enough, I don't recall Hillary or her staff crying about it. I'm not a supporter of hers and don't think I would vote for her. But at least she can hold her own ion the national stage.

Is Palin that fragile that she takes such obvious and common phrasology so personally?

I don't think she's that much a creampuff. It's just that she has a very shallow bag of tricks. So far, her only one is, "boo hoo, the mean boys are being mean to me."

Palin needs to grow some huevos if she's going to play in the big game.

From the Post:

"Later, it turned out that McCain himself used the phrase more than once, including last year, when he was talking about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's 1990s health care plan.

He said last October, "I think they put some lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig."

I agree with what you said. One of the commentators tonight on the news said that, "when Obama makes those kinds of comments, he diminishes himself and elevates Palin". I agree. Obama should avoid saying anything that even has the appearance of attacking Palin, that's what his surrogates are for. Even then, I don't see how attacking Palin is going to win him any votes. For someone who said he was going to run a different kind of a campaign...sure fooled me. I thought is was interesting that Hillary said she would not attack Palin while campaigning for Obama. She's smart!

I respect your thoughts on this but I would bet that Obama wishes he never made the statement.

I have not heard Palin give a boo hoo speech yet. To tell you the truth after all the lies and things said about her and her family before her acceptance speech, I really thought she would cave and go home. I was amassed to see just how strong she is. It will be interesting to see how things play out from this point on.

Same here. I told my wife last week I don't see how she could stay in this race and continue to have her family subjected to the kind of attacks that's be coming from the MSM. I was sure she would step down by now, but she hasn't done that--and I don't think she will. She's one tough cookie! She's gonna make a great president (eventually).

Biden made reference to lipstick today.
I see the Old Boys of the Senate are showing their true colors.

Sure he did. Personally, I think your repeated comments about UNWED MOTHERS trying to get into your bank account were an obvious preemptive effort to undermine Bristol Palin. You think real Americans won't see through your godless smears, but we won't put up with being played for paranoid semi-professional victims.

Come again? What are you talking about?

I'm trying to recall the last presidential candidate that spent what seems an excessive level of energy dissin' the VP nominee of the other party.

Odd but interesting approach to me

This "lipstick on a pig" thing is really, really mild as far as insults go. It's a very common saying that just happened to address Palin's "pitbull in lipstick" comment, as well as McCain's recent turn towards becoming the candidate of change. Obama got two digs for the price of one. As someone pointed out, McCain has said almost the exact same thing about Hillary, but it passed almost unnoticed. If Palin wants people to believe her message of, "I'm a barracuda! I'm a pitbull in lipstick! Don't f*ck with me!!", then she's going to have to start acting the part. Until then, she's no pitbull...she's just a house dog barking from behind the fence.

Very odd. Me thinks the democrats are shaking in their wittle boots.

Let's be frank and honest here. I'm 100% sure that you are familiar with the expression he used, have heard it before and are perfectly aware that he did not call anyone a pig.

I guess I missed Palin reacting to the comment. Did I miss it?

Yes he may wrap it as a comment not meant toward Palin, but the crowd got it. If he didn't make that statement toward her then it was a stupid statement to make and makes you wonder if he is fit to handle matters of state with a history of making such statements.

You can get away with a lot of stuff, but racism and sexism (real or perceived) will be hashed and rehashed by the media.

Another strike for the Obama campaign.

I was thinking this year was gonna be a sweep for the Dems. Bush has some of the lowest approval ratings, the economy is slowing, gas prices are higher...

Just goes to show how polarized this country is. No matter how bad it is, the Republicans are gonna stick to their guns.

During the primaries, I honestly thought this was gonna be a cakewalk for Obama.

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Of course it was aimed at Palin. It's all a very passive/aggresive thing, IMO. Obama makes a comment which clearly plays off of Palins "pitbull in lipstick" schtick. The McCain camp then goes nuts, but as long as Palin doesn't say anything, she's not the one whining. Yeah...right. I don't buy the spin from either side.

Was it wise to make such a remark? Do we need that kind of statesmanship in the White House? The left hammers Bush on his gaffes, but it's ok if they make them.

Can we afford to have a team in the White House who is going to get their drawers in a twist over common sayings?